Fresh off signing with Belhaven University over the weekend, Jessica Mahoney was near-unstoppable for Pope John Paul II Monday night.

Mahoney notched a hat trick in the first half of the Jaguars' (20-1-1) 4-1 victory over visiting Episcopal in a Division III quarterfinals matchup, and according to the senior, her team is ready for the semis.

"We knew we could get up on them early and we had a lot of chances before the first goal so it was only a matter of time before more came," Jessica Mahoney said after the game. "I'm looking forward (to the semifinals) being home, everybody coming out and us playing our game and beating whoever."

The Lady Jaguars were firing their shots off early and often, and finally broke though when Bailee Bridges found Mahoney who slipped one past Episcopal goalkeeper Isabella Rubiana in eighth minute to give her squad an early 1-0 lead. The diligence on the offensive end paid off, as moments later Mahoney again found the back of the net in the 13th minute to push the lead to two.

Responding for the Lady Knights (14-10-1) was Emma White, an eighth-grader who snuck one by Alexis Molero, which marked the first goal allowed by Pope John Paul II in the playoffs. But in the 38th minute with halftime approaching, Mahoney again stepped up to occasion, extending the Pope John Paul II lead to 3-1.

"We got a lot of chances and capitalized on two, and it could have been a lot more," Pope John Paul II Coach J.B. Mahoney said in reference to his team's 11 first-half shot attempts. "I was happy with the two (goals) and when we got to three the game was done and dusted."

A dominant effort by Moleroo and the Lady Jaguar defense helped play the role of closer, as Episcopal was limited to six shots in the second half, five of which were deflected by Molero. Then Christian Cutura found her sister, Marlena Cutura, for a game-icing goal in the 61st minute, clinching the Jags' win and a berth in the semifinals.

Mahoney's goal in the 38th minute was the difference, according to Episcopal Coach Matt Shelton, who felt his team didn't play up to its potential in the first 20 minutes.

If Mahoney never scored her third goal before half, the game may have had a different result, the coach said.

"Our second half was completely different than the first," Shelton said. "We fought hard and worked hard, and if we played like that in the first 20 minutes this is a different game. Down by two it's hard to fight, but we got one back and that goal before half kind of changed things coming into the second. If they don't score that third goal, the second half is different.

"They're a good team," he added. "J.B. (Mahoney) does a good job. We're still young and maturing and learning the game."